Pump control device



F. 1.. BADGETT 1,945,105

PUMP CONTROL DEVICE Jan. 30, 1934.

Filed June 8, 1931 59 l I .11! i 72 W 92 62 MW M mwmm m 67 a;

27 64 8o" Z5 Z5 I63 M 24 /4 62 & /z a? K 20 /3 a5 9 20 M 4630 /9 K /5 I 37 /5 I I 3/ 5 I 5 3 35 INVENTOR 5 47 ff 0 lee fiooye/f Z2 Z6 52 l BY ATTOEQNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATNT QFFHE 1,945,105 PUMP CONTROL DEVICE Application June 8, 1931. Serial No. 542,845

2 Claims.

My invention relates to fluid pressure regulators and more particularly to a pump control device especially designed for use in connection with water regulators of a boiler to automatically control the supply of feed water to a boiler.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a pump control that is simple in construction and effective in operation, and wherein the controlling diaphragm is protected from direct contact of steam for preventing rapid deterioration of the diaphragm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that embodies multiple means for adjusting the operation of the mechanism to accurately control the water supply of the pump to a boiler.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a control device, embodying my invention, interposed in a steam line leading from a boiler to a pump and connected with a discharge line of the pump.

2 is an elevational view of the pump control, the greater portion thereof being shown in central section to disclose clearly the operation of the diaphragm and valve mechanism.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

1 designates, generally, the pump control interposed in a steam supply line 2 leading from a boiler to a pump (not shown). The control device includes a steam valve 3 having opposite threaded openings 4 for connecting the valve to separated branches 5 and 6 of the steam line, and having a nipple 7 including an enlarged, externally threaded, lower end 8 engaging the upper open end 9 of the valve housing. A reduced externally threaded extension 10 of the nipple, forming a lateral shoulder 11, is extended through an opening 12 formed in a supporting plate 13 clamped firmly against the shoulder 11 by a lock nut 14.

The steam valve is of common construction, including a double valve seat 15 cooperating with a pair of aligning valves 16 mounted on the lower end of a valve stem 17 by a gland nut 18 threaded into an upper neck 19 of the valve pair and bearing against a head 20 formed on the lower end of the stem. The limit of engagement of the valves with the seats is controlled by an adjusting screw 21 threaded through a plug 22 provided on the lower end of the valve and retained in adjusted position by a jam nut 23 mounted on the adjusting screw. Sliding relation of the valve stem through a concentric opening 24 of the upper neck 10 is sealed by packing 25 urged into a counterbored recess 26 of the neck by a gland 2'7.

Provided in the supporting plate 13 at its approximate center is an. open ng 28 for receiving 60 the neck 29 of a diaphragm housing 30 comprising upper and lower mating halves 31 and 32, the upper half 31 having a threaded opening 33 for receiving the lower reduced end 34 of the neck.

Each of the housing members includes an outwardly directed annular flange 35 between which is mounted a flexible diaphragm 36, the flanges and diaphragm being clamped in assembled condition by bolts 3? extended through aligning openings in the flanges and diaphragm. One or" the clamping bolts comprises a tie member 38 adapted to extend through an opening 39 provided in the supportin plate, so that nuts 40 and 41, threaded on the bolt and bearing against oppcsite faces of the supporting plate, will assist in securely mounting the diaphragm housing on the plate, which is primarily accomplished by threading a nut 42 on the reduced upper end of the neck 29 to bear against the upper face of the plate for drawing a lateral shoulder 43 of the neck, formed by the reduced portion, snugly against the lower face of the plate.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the diaphragm also includes disks 44 and 45 respectively engaging the upper and lower faces of the diaphragm and clamped thereagainst by complementary nuts 46 and 4'7 threaded on the lower end of a stem 48. Annular recesses 49 are provided in the upper and lower members for receiving the disks, and inclined faces 50 connect these recesses to the inner flange faces to prevent abrupt bending and eventual breaking of the diaphragm.

The lower housing member 32 is provided with an axial threaded opening 51 for receiving one end of a steam line 52 leading upwardly to a branch 53 connected to the main steam line by a valve 54, as indicated at 55.

Threaded into an opening 56 provided in a boss 5'7, formed on the upper housing member, is a drain line 58 valved, as shown at 59, and ex tending from a threaded opening 60, provided in the neck 29 immediately below the supporting plate, is a water line 61 connected to the discharge line of the pump.

The stem 48 is maintained in sealed sliding relation with a concentric opening 62 of the neck 29 by packing 63 and a packing gland 64 identical to that used for packing the stem 17, and its upper end is threaded for engaging the lower end of a bearing head 65 secured to the stem in adjusted position by a jam nut 66 threaded on the stern and bearing against the head.

A similar head 6'7, secured in like manner to the upper end of the valve stem 17, is provided on its upper end with a guide portion 68 extended through a bearing opening 69 formed in the lower wall 70 of a cylindrical spring housing '71 which is joined to the binding nut 14 by spaced parallel arms '72.

A spring '73, seated on the lower wall '70, is anchored to the upper end of the guide portion 68 by an'adjusting bolt 74 threaded into the upper end of the guide portion and lockedtherein by a jam nut 75, a nut 76 being threaded on the opposite end of the bolt and bearing against a washer 77 engaging the upper end of the spring. Normally the housing is closed by a cap 78 screwed into an upper threaded opening 79 of the housing 71.

Each of the bearing heads 65 and 67 is provided with relatively wide slots 80 for receiving a bearing arm 81 pivotally connected to the heads by cross pins 82 and anchored to the end of the supporting plate opposite the steam valve by a fulcrum rod 83 yieldingly mounted in the plate by means of a spring 84 positioned between washers 85 and 86 engaging respectively the upper face of the plate and a nut 87 threaded on the stem. Adjusting nuts 88, threaded on the lower end of the stem, engage the lower face of the bearing plate for varying the tension of the spring and the position of the fulcrum rod in its relation to the valve stem 17 and stem as.

A third bearing head 89, threaded on the upper end of the fulcrum rod and secured thereto in adjusted position by a jam nut 96, is likewise provided with a slot 91 for pivotally mounting the bearing arm on a transverse pin 92.

The operation of a pump control device constructed and assembled as described and connected with a steam and water line would be as follows:

Steam in the line leading from the boiler to the steam end of the pump, for supplying pressure medium to operate the pump, passes through the steam valve 3 as long as this valve remains in opened condition, and a portion of the steam on the boiler side of the valve constantly exerts pressure against the lower face of the diaphragm. Attention is here directed to the fact that direct contact of steam with the diaphragm is prevented by dropping the branch line 52 to a point below the steam line so that the branch may be filled with water or condensate, and steam from the line 2 will indirectly force the diaphragm upwardly by means of the water in the branch line.

While steam pressure is exerted against the lower face of the diaphragm water tapped from the discharge line of the pump constantly exerts pressure against the upper face of the diaphragm.

and these pressures tend to maintain the dia-- phragm in balanced condition.

As more water is added to the boiler, the steam pressure will recede, thereby reducing the pressure on the lower surface of the diaphragm, while the water from the pump simultaneously exerts a greater pressure on the opposite face of the diaphragm. When the latter pressure has reached the point where it overcomes the steam pressure, thereby forcing the diaphragm downwardly in its housing, the steam valve will be carried to a more closed position and the output of the pump will correspondingly decrease.

In this manner, the control device serves to continuously tend to equalize the steam and Water pressures on the diaphragm and tomaintain the valve in such a position that water will be supplied to the boiler at a rate equal to which it is converted into' steam.

Adjustments are providedon the fulcrum rod, on'the valve stem for the steam valve, and on the valve stem connected with the diaphragm so that the operation of the steam valve and diaphragm in relation to each other can be controlled to a very fine degree and may b readily changed to suit varying conditions.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for controlling the supply of water from a pump to a boiler connected by steam and water lines, a valve in the steam line, a stem having its inner end secured to the valve, a housing, a flexible diaphragm in said housing, a supporting bar rigidly connecting the valve and housing, a branch line communicating said steam line with one face of the diaphragm, a conduit communicating the opposite face of the diaphragm with the water line, means operably connecting said diaphragm with the valve stem to actuate the valve in response to variations in pressure on opposite faces of the dia. phragm including a lever arm, means for yieldingly anchoring said lever arm to the bar, and resilient means adjustably anchored to the outer end of said valve stem for normally urging the valve from its seat.

2. In a device for controlling the supply of water from a pump to a boiler, a steam line, a water line, a valve in the steam line, a stem having one endv secured to the valve, a guide on the valve for slidably receiving the opposite end of the stem, a housing, a flexible diaphragm in said housing, a branch leading from the steam line to one side of the diaphragm, a conduit leading, from the water line to the opposite side of the diaphragm, means operably connecting said diaphragm with the valve stem to actuate the valve in response to variations inpressure at op: posite sides of the diaphragm including a lever arm pivoted to the valve stem between said guide and the valve and pivotally connected to the diaphragm, a fulcrum for-.the lever, means for supporting the fulcrum in yielding relation to the diaphragm housing, a nut threaded onsai'd opposite end of the valve stem, and a spring in terposed between the guide and nut for normally urging the valve fro-mits seat. FRED LEE BADGETT. 

